Pelt stretching and drying device



Jan. 3-], 1967 c. PERARDI FELT STRETCHING AND DRYING DEVICE Filed March 25, 1965 Clifford Perara'i INVENTOR.

BY W

Attorneys United States Patent 3,301,028 PELT STRETCHING AND DRYING DEVICE Clifford lerardi, R.F.D. 1, Farmington, Ill. 61531 Filed Mar. 25, 1965. Ser. No. 442,670 2 Claims. (Cl. 69-19.2)

The present invention relates to a portable manually usable device which is expressly designed and constructed to hold and treat an animal pelt or hide during the time that it is stretched, dried and otherwise handled and pertains, more particularly, to an adaptation which though broadly analogous to similarly constructed and performing pelt stretchers is provided with structurally unique facilities which effectively achieve the improved result desired.

It is common in the art to provide an elongated frame over and upon which the hide is stretched for reliable and expedient drying needs, said frame being provided with an adapter, such as a cross brace or the like, the adapter being slidingly mounted on the arms or limbs of the frame and provided intermediate its ends with piercing and impaling pins or the like for the cooperable tail portion of the hide.

It is an object of the present invention to structurally, functionally and in other significant ways improve upon prior art stretchers and, in doing so, to provide a novel adaptation capable of better and more satisfactorily accomplishing the results desired.

The present invention features a frame which is of elongated U-shaped form, is fashioned from a length of rod-type stock which is bent upon itself between its ends to define a curvate bight or median portion and a pair of duplicate coplanar limbs, the free ends of the latter being linearly straight.

A second improvement resides in the carrier and adjusting means for the impaling pin or equivalent means. In the instant situation the impaling means comprises a simple staple which is fastened on a cross brace. The cross brace spans the space between the limbs and has its slotted end portions detachably and adjustably bolted by novel bolting means to the limbs of the frame.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a pelt or hide mounting, stretching and drying device constructed in accordance with the invention and showing the same in readiness for use;

FIGURE 2 is a view on a slightly larger scale in plan and which shows the device in use, that is, with the pelt mounted thereon for stretching and drying;

FIGURE 3 is a detail sectional and elevational view taken on the plane of the section line 33 of FIGURE 2 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 4 is a view at right angles to FIGURE 3 with the view being taken on the section line 44 of FIG- URE 3.

With reference now to the views of the drawing the aforementioned elongated U-shaped frame is denoted by the numeral 6 and is formed from an appropriate length of rod which is bent upon itself intermediate its ends to provide a curvate bight or connecting portion 8 and a pair of longitudinally bowed arms or limbs 10 which are of duplicate construction and which have their terminal or free ends linearly straight as denoted at 12. The impaling and holddown means is removably and adjustably mounted on the limbs of the frame and comprises a substantially U-shaped staple 14 the end portions of which are pointed at 16 to provide penetrating and impaling elements. This staple is rigidly mounted on the median or intermediate portion of an attachable and detachable carrier which, more specifically, comprises a cross brace 1n the form of a rigid elongated loop or link 18. The side members of the link are in spaced parallelism and coplanar and are denoted at 20 and are joined at their ends by straight-across end members 22. It will be noted that this link is also made of round rod stock and is firm and rigid while the limbs 10 are slightly yielding to permit the same to be moved toward and from each other, that is adjusted against the inherent resilient properties of the limbs. It is also to be noted that the length of the link 18 is such that the major portion of the link spans the space existing between the limbs and the end portions are accordingly extended beyond the limbs. The self-contained or inherent opening of this link provides a satisfactory slot. This is to say the end portions of the link are slotted and are removably and adjustably bolted on the limbs 10. The mounting, bolting and adjusting means is the same at each end of the link and a description of one should suffice for both. The bolt comprises a stud 24 the smooth end portion of which is provided with a hole 26 which snugly receives the cooperating portion of the complemental limb. The main or shank portion of the stud is screw-threaded as at 28 to accommodate a nut 30 having wing grips 32 and thus providing what is commonly referred to as a wing nut. This wing nut is screwed on the screw-threaded stud and is provided with a washer 34 which encircles the screw-threaded shank and rests firmly and fixedly against adjacent surfaces of the component parts of the link 18, that is, the parts 20 and 22 as brought out in all of the views. It follows that the link is adjustably bolted and clampingly held in that portions thereof have direct frictional engagement with coacting surfaces or portions of the limbs 10 of the frame.

The idea of providing screw-threaded studs or bolts on and projecting the same laterally from the limbs of a yielding U-frame and slidingly mounting the studs on the limbs to accommodate the attachable and detachable link means 18 is believed to be novel and provides in the overall device the capabilities so necessary and desired by those who are called upon to undertake and cope with the problem of stretching, drying and conditioning furs for commercial and other requirements.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A pelt holding, stretching and drying device comprising: an elongated U-shaped onepiece frame embodying a pair of substantially straight coplanar resilient limbs having like ends joined by a rigid integral bight portion, a screw-threaded stud for each limb having a shank portion with a hole therethrough, a companion one of said limbs passing snugly but slidingly through said hole, a cross-brace spanning the space between and with end portions extending beyond the respectively cooperable limbs, the end portions of said cross-brace being slotted and residing in shiftably adjustable contact with coacting surfaces of said limbs, the threaded portions of said studs passing through and beyond cooperating portions of the slots, threaded assembling and clamping abutment means threaded on said threaded portions and including portions overlying and frictionally engaging the adjacent portions of the corresponding end portion of said cross-brace on both sides of the slotted portion through which the associated stud passes and thereby clamping the corresponding end portion of said cross-brace in position both transversely and longitudinally of the associated limb, and rigid pelt engaging means carried by said cross-brace intermediate said limbs.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said cross-brace comprises a relatively narrow elongated one-piece and rigid flat link having opposite side members and opposite end members, said slotted end portions being defined by the spacing between the pairs of spaced corresponding end portions of said side members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

A. R. GUEST, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PELT HOLDING, STRETCHING AND DRYING DEVICE COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED U-SHAPED ONEPIECE FRAME EMBODYING A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT COPLANAR RESILIENT LIMBS HAVING LIKE ENDS JOINED BY A RIGID INTEGRAL BIGHT PORTIONS, A SCREW-THREADED STUD FOR EACH LIMB HAVING A SHANK PORTION WITH A HOLE THERETHROUGH, A COMPANION ONE OF SAID LIMBS PASSING SNUGLY BUT SLIDINGLY THROUGH SAID HOLE, A CROSS-BRACE SPANNING THE SPACE BETWEEN AND WITH END PORTIONS EXTENDING BEYOND THE RESPECTIVELY COOPERABLE LIMBS, THE END PORTIONS OF SAID CROSS-BRACE BEING SLOTTED AND RESIDING IN SHIFTABLY ADJUSTABLE CONTACT WITH COACTING SURFACES OF SAID LIMBS, THE THREADED PORTIONS OF SAID STUDS PASSING THROUGH AND BEYOND COOPERATING PORTIONS OF THE SLOTS, THREADED ASSEMBLING AND CLAMPING ABUTMENT MEANS THREADED ON SAID THREADED PORTIONS AND INCLUDING PORTIONS OVERLYING AND FRICTIONALLY ENGAGING THE ADJACENT PORTIONS OF THE CORRESPONDING END PORTION OF SAID CROSS-BRACE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SLOTTED PORTION THROUGH WHICH THE ASSOCIATED STUD PASSES AND 